1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to media devices, and particularly to personal media players.
2. Description of Background
Media players (MP)s are extremely popular. These players allow the user to download an array of media content to the players and play the content. Media content is commonly music files encoded in Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG)-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3) format, audio podcasts encoded in MP3 or other audio format, and video encoded in one of the MPEG standards for video. Most players in the current art allow the user to assemble at least one playlist. Each playlist is a list that may be a portion of the content stored within the player. The playlist may specify a sequential order for the content of the playlist, or may specify the content of the playlist to be played back randomly, the random playback also known as shuffle play.
Current MPs require that a user initiate the playback of the playlist, and continue to play only the media content within the playlist until the user causes it to cease. Further, they require the user to manually manage storage of the media on the MP to ensure that adequate storage space is available for the addition of media for subsequent playlists.